House of Piast

The House of Piast was the first ruling dynasty of Poland, beginning with Piast the Wheelwright in the mid-9th century in 930 and ending with Casimir III of Poland's death in 1370. The Piast dynasty mostly ruled over Poland, although branches of the family would survive in Silesia until 1675. Poland prospered under Piast rule, but the country would be divided into several duchies after 1138, leading to around 150 years of fragmentation and the debilitation of Poland; in 1370, the last Piast monarch died, and Louis of Anjou would succeed his uncle as the Capetian monarch. Przemysl II of Poland's coat of arms would be used as the coat of arms of the Piast dynasty after its adoption in 1295, and the white eagle on a red background is a symbol of Poland.